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Hawaii resident describes trail conditions on hike where pregnant Utah woman died

Posted at 9:43 PM, May 07, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-07 23:43:28-04

OAHU, HAWAII - A Salt Lake City woman, 34, and her husband went for a hike Saturday, but the expecting mother never came home.

"The family is very distraught and grieving," said Jessica Lani Rich with Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, an organization that helps visitors in crisis. "Who would have thought that a day of hiking would have led to this tragedy?"

Honolulu Fire officials say the woman was hiking the Makaua Hidden Valley Trail near Ka'a'awa Saturday. They were about a mile up the trail when she was hit by a falling rock and knocked unconscious.

"When it pours up here, it's guaranteed mudslides," said Hawaii resident, Ethan Akiona of the trail conditions. He points out that a combination of recent rainstorms and earthquakes may have contributed to the volatile conditions.

"There's loose rocks that are going to come falling down," he added.

It took paramedics about an hour to get to her location, a mile up the trail. By the time they arrived, she was without a pulse and unconscious. The husband's family has flown to Hawaii to assist in plans moving forward, and the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii will help out.

"I just spent two hours with the family letting them know we're here to help. I invited them all to be my guest while they are here and we are going to help them any way we can," Rich said.